Lon Horwedel / Special to the Kalamazoo GazetteDetroit's Juwan Howard Jr. watches his new team beat his old team Thursday night. The Titans beat the Broncos 92-81 at Calihan Hall.

DETROIT — In the hallway just outside the gym at Calihan Hall, two familiar faces strolled by about an hour before Thursday night’s men’s basketball game between the University of Detroit Mercy and Western Michigan.

The matchup between these two schools came with a strange flavor Thursday night, with former Broncos Lowe and Howard on the opposing bench and the knowledge that WMU coach Steve Hawkins isn’t renewing the contract on the 18-year series mostly because he doesn’t like how Lowe landed in Detroit after the 2008-09 season.

Howard transferred to UDM after last season, joining Lowe as once-promising WMU freshman now in Ray McCallum’s Detroit program, adding to the ire of the Bronco fan base.

Lowe, now a senior, had nine points and four rebounds in Detroit's 92-81 win Thursday. Howard is sitting out this season, per NCAA transfer rules.

Hawkins has never said publicly that he believes the Titans coaches did anything unethical in winding up with Lowe or Howard.

That this storied series is ending, however, says something about Hawkins' feelings toward this UDM staff.

Both players left the Broncos to be closer to home, facing different personal issues — though multiple sources close to Howard have recently said his transfer to Detroit was as much about wanting to play at Detroit as it was any personal problems.

Thursday, McCallum addressed the subject, diplomatically.

“I’m just glad that he’s here,” McCallum said of Howard. “I think he’s happy to be home. I think you know LaMarcus’ story with his mom and family and health. They’re close to home, Juwan’s home. He’s been a good addition, been a good kid and a good guy and working hard. So we’re pleased that he wanted to come back home and he’s with us.”